Global esports organization Team Liquid has signed professional chess players Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Carauna.
Financial terms of these deals were not disclosed.
Carlsen, arguably the most recognized professional chess player in the world right now, is a five-time World Chess Champion; five-time World Rapid Chess Champion; eight-time World Blitz Chess Champion; and number one ranked player for over 14 consecutive years.
“It is so exciting to be a part of what I believe is the biggest and best esports team in the world,” said Carlsen. “As one of the biggest names in chess myself, partnering up with the best team and a fun brand is a perfect fit. In this digital age, we’re finding that chess in an esports setting is tremendously exciting, and that’s where I see the future of chess in faster formats. I look forward to chess players becoming staples of esports teams from now on.”
Team Liquid also announced that it has signed four-time U.S. Chess Champion Fabiano Caruana.
“I am really excited to join Team Liquid, an organization with a long heritage of success. We have a lot of the same values in terms of integrity, competitive drive, striving for excellence — and of course, winning,” said Caruana. “Playing for a team like Liquid and being part of a wider community can add something new for chess, and bring the game to a wider audience.”
Both Caruana and Carlsen will compete as Team Liquid players at Champions Chess Tour Chessable Masters 2025. Team Liquid partner IMC will serve as the chess team’s primary sponsor and appear on the front of their jerseys during events such as the Champions Chess Tour and Esports World Cup.
Team Liquid features 96 athletes competing across multiple esports titles, including League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Valorant, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Rainbow Six Siege, Fortnite, PUBG: Mobile, and more.